At last I thought I would try my vocal powers; so I hallooed as loud as I could, in every note of the gamut, until I was hoarse.

At last I heard a distant sound, a loud halloo, which I returned, and so we kept it up until the voice grew near, and, when I heard a man's heavy footsteps close at hand, I was relieved.

He proved to be the telegraph operator, who had been a brave soldier in the late war.

He said that no message had come from Dixon.

He escorted me to the hotel, where some members of the Lyceum Committee came in and had a hearty laugh at my adventure, especially that, in my distress, I should have called on James and John and Patrick, instead of Jane, Ann, and Bridget.